Written Answers Tuesday 9 May 2006

Scottish Executive

Crown Estate

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will attempt to recover from the Crown Estate any costs incurred by the Executive and Dumfries and Galloway Council in the disposal of the carcass of the fin whale stranded on Barlocco Isle earlier this month.

Rhona Brankin: No. The Crown Estate has no responsibility for dealing with Royal Fish (i.e., whales 25 feet in length).

Dentistry

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many dental practices have received "golden hello" payments in each year since 2003, broken down by NHS board area.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is given in tables 1 – 3 of golden hello payments since 2003, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39510).

External Relations

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the process is for seeking membership of, or observer status to, the Nordic Council and whether it has any plans to make any such application.

Mr Tom McCabe: There is no formal process for seeking membership of the Nordic Council. Nor does the council grant observer status.

  The Executive has no plans to seek to change its existing, very positive, relationship with the Nordic Council or the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Fisheries

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address the impact on the Scottish aquaculture industry of Norwegian farmed salmon dumped illegally on the European market.

Rhona Brankin: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-25098 on 8 May 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Fisheries

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it estimates that illegally dumped Norwegian farmed salmon has had on the economy and community of the Highlands and Islands.

Rhona Brankin: The European Commission (CION) anti-dumping investigation used a range of economic and financial indicators to investigate the impact of the actions by salmon growers, based in Norway, on the community industry.

  The investigation found that between 2001 and the investigation period, although the community industry experienced increases in production (5%) and sales volumes (7%), these growth rates were slower than the 15% increase in the overall market. Consequently, the community industry saw its market share fall by 7%. In addition, sales prices fell by 9% whilst cash flows and profitability turned negative. Employment directly linked with the production of farmed salmon fell by 3% and average wages per head also declined. Since the community industry is concentrated into the Highlands and Islands that is where the most significant direct impacts associated with these deteriorating indicators have occurred.

Fisheries

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that banks and investors have confidence that the UK Government and European Commission are able to prevent illegal trading in farmed salmon and on what basis it has reached that conclusion.

Rhona Brankin: The Executive, like a majority of EU member states, are signed up to a process to ensure that trade defence measures are fair and proportionate, and within these measures review processes are required. Commercial investment decisions are for the banks with whom ministers meet regularly to review matters of mutual concern.

Fisheries

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether banks and investors support Scottish-owned salmon farming and, if not, what action it will take to ensure such support, in light of the sector’s ability to achieve economic prices underpinned by the EU minimum import price.

Rhona Brankin: Ministers meet regularly with banks to discuss the performance of rural industries, including aquaculture. The last such meeting was on 27 March 2006.

  I also refer the member to the answer to question S2W-25099 on 9 May 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Fisheries

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it accepts the findings of the EC Safeguarding Committee’s investigation that the Scottish aquaculture industry is more cost effective than that of Norway, despite higher environmental and health standards in Scotland.

Rhona Brankin: The Executive accept the findings of the European Commission (CION) investigation but this simply looked at cost of production and supply to the EU market. The investigation did not compare environmental or health standards.

Fisheries

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive by what percentage Scottish farmed salmon output has been reduced as a result of the increase in Norwegian produce on the EU market.

Rhona Brankin: It is not possible to make a definitive estimate because output and market share can change for a variety of reasons that may be unrelated to the trade dispute. However, the European Commission (CION) investigation concluded that although the Community industry increased its sales volume by 7% between 2001 and the investigation period, it was unable to benefit fully from the 15% increase in the overall growth of the market. Consequently, its market share decreased by 7% whilst that of Norwegian imports rose by 17%.

Fisheries

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the percentage of salmon production in Norway that can be controlled by one group and how this figure compares with that in Scotland.

Rhona Brankin: This information is not held centrally. However, all businesses operating in the UK are subject to competition rules and may be considered by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) or the European Commission (EC) competition authorities. Even if consideration of proposed company mergers falls to the EC, the OFT would still have to consider whether criteria for referral back to the UK competition authorities are met.

Fisheries

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of salmon production in Scotland is controlled by businesses or individuals based in Norway.

Rhona Brankin: This information is not held centrally but the EU Salmon Producers Group (EUSPG) estimate that over 80% of salmon production in Scotland is controlled by businesses or individuals based in Norway.

Fisheries

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the percentage of Norwegian-owned fish farms in Scotland which were originally set up by Scottish or UK companies.

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of senior positions in the Scottish farmed salmon industry have been transferred to Norway in the last five years.

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many experienced and qualified people have left the Scottish farmed salmon industry in the last five years and how many have sought employment abroad.

Rhona Brankin: This information is not held centrally.

Fisheries

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of salmon production was deemed by the European Commission in its investigation into illegal dumping to be outwith the European Community Industry as defined in the basic Regulation.

Rhona Brankin: The European Commission anti-dumping investigation estimated that production by the community industry, as defined in the basic Regulation, totalled 22,000 tonnes during the investigation period. This means that, in 2004, about 87% of salmon production in the EU was undertaken by companies that fell outwith this definition.

Fisheries

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of farmed salmon in Scotland is produced by Pan Fish, Marine Harvest and Fjord.

Rhona Brankin: Estimates based on data published in the Executive’s Scottish Fish Farms Annual Production Survey 2004 suggest that Pan Fish, Marine Harvest and Fjord will control somewhere in the range of 40 to 50% of salmon production in Scotland.

Fisheries

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has noted the announcements relating to progress in the grouping of Marine Harvest and Fjord with Pan Fish and whether it considers that such an amalgamation is in the public interest.

Rhona Brankin: The Executive is aware of the proposed grouping of Marine Harvest and Fjord with Pan Fish, which is a matter for the relevant competition authorities with whom we are in touch.

Fisheries

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has noted the Pan Fish announcement regarding site enlargements and closures in Scotland and what its views are on these matters.

Rhona Brankin: The Executive is aware that Pan Fish has plans to rationalise operations in Scotland.

  Ministers have invited the company to meet and discuss their future plans for Scottish operations and how the public sector (including Highlands and Islands Enterprise) might help to ensure continued success. The meeting is scheduled to take place in May 2006.

Fisheries

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the United Kingdom has become a net importer of salmon.

Rhona Brankin: In 2005, the UK exported £160,429,000 worth of salmon and salmon products and imported £150,730,000 worth. This means that the UK was a net exporter by approximately £10 million.

Fisheries

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether aquaculture remains one of the world’s fastest growing industries and how growth in Scotland’s aquaculture industry compares to (a) the global average, (b) growth in Norway and (c) growth in Chile in the past five years.

Rhona Brankin: Between 1999 and 2004, the Scottish aquaculture industry, measured by production of Atlantic Salmon (tonnes), grew by 24%. This is compared to; (a) global average growth rate of 53%; (b) Norwegian growth of 31%, and (c) Chilean growth of 239%; over the same period.

  The growth rates (a) to (c) are calculated using estimated market supply in 2004.

Fisheries

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to enforce the prevention of cockle fishing by unlicensed operators in the Solway Firth.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has facilitated a multi-agency approach to the enforcement of the Solway Firth cockle fishery, involving in particular the Solway Shellfish Management Association, Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, the Health and Safety Executive, Dumfries and Galloway Council, the Marine and Coastguard Agency and the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA). By taking such steps as sharing intelligence and communicating jointly the key messages on the fishery, this approach has allowed for more coordinated and effective enforcement. Using the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill we are also seeking to make provisions to allow the SFPA to deploy its powers in respect of Regulating Orders and to improve the ability of grantees to enforce Regulating Orders. Our intention is that these powers should be in force in time for the next cockle fishing season in the Solway.

Fisheries

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fisheries officers are in post on the cockle fishing grounds of the Solway Firth and what powers these officers have to prevent unlicensed cockling.

Ross Finnie: The Solway Shellfish Management Association has two officers involved in enforcing the Solway Firth Regulated Fishery (Scotland) Order 2006.

  Fishing for cockles in the Solway without a licence granted by the association is an offence. Under Section 3 of the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1963, the association’s enforcement officers have power to enforce restrictions and regulations made as part of an Order. In addition, they are able to report any instances of illegal fishing which they may observe to the Procurator Fiscal with a view to criminal prosecution.

  A number of other agencies, including the Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, the Health and Safety Executive and the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency have also been involved in a multi-agency approach to enforcing this Regulating Order.

Fisheries

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to enforce the prevention of cockle fishing in the Solway Firth after the close of the current season on 28 April 2006.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive will continue to facilitate a multi-agency approach to enforcing the closure of the Solway Firth cockle fishery during its closed season.

Fresh Talent Initiative

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it, or any of its agencies, has taken to promote Scotland as a place in which to live, study and work in (a) Bulgaria and (b) Romania.

Mr Tom McCabe: To date, the Executive has not targeted either Bulgaria or Romania, in its activities to promote Fresh Talent overseas. However, we do promote Scotland internationally through our website www.scotlandistheplace.com , together with the services of the Relocation Advisory Service, which are accessible worldwide.

Met Office

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns about the Met Office’s plan to stop producing a weather forecast for people using Scotland’s mountains.

Patricia Ferguson: The Met Office is not withdrawing the weather forecast for people using Scotland’s mountains. While the current phone and fax service is being considered for withdrawal due to its non viability as a commercial service, the Met Office will replace this with a free of charge online service.

Met Office

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was informed or consulted about the Met Office’s plan to stop producing a weather forecast for people using Scotland’s mountains.

Patricia Ferguson: The Met Office is not withdrawing the weather forecast for people using Scotland’s mountains. While the current phone and fax service is being considered for withdrawal due to its non viability as a commercial service, the Met Office will replace this with a free of charge online service.

  The Executive was not informed or consulted about the Met Office’s plans to change the forecast delivery medium.

Met Office

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to (a) Her Majesty’s Government and (b) the Met Office about the Met Office’s plan to stop producing a weather forecast for people using Scotland’s mountains.

Patricia Ferguson: The Met Office is not withdrawing the weather forecast for people using Scotland’s mountains. While the current phone and fax service is being considered for withdrawal due to its non viability as a commercial service, the Met Office will replace this with a free of charge online service.

  We have not made any representations to Her Majesty’s Government or the Met Office about the plans to change the forecast delivery medium.

Museums

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will pay the annual boat maintenance grant to the Scottish Maritime Museum.

Patricia Ferguson: The Executive is providing £160,000 per year core funding for the Scottish Maritime Museum. We have also agreed to continue funding of £30,000 in 2006-07 for its curator post. I am pleased to say that the Executive will also provide additional funding for maintenance of the collection in 2006-07 and we shall write to the Scottish Maritime Museum with a formal grant offer as soon as possible.

Museums

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support has been provided to the Scottish Maritime Museum in each financial year since 1999-2000.

Patricia Ferguson: The requested information is in the following table:

  

1999-2000 (£)
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


 0
 90,000
 370,000
 190,000
 240,000
 160,000
 300,000 
 305,000

Museums

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of support it will provide to the Scottish Maritime Museum in future.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will assist the Scottish Maritime Museum in accessing funds to protect and promote Scotland’s maritime history.

Patricia Ferguson: In the Cultural Statement on 19 January 2006 I announced that future funding for non-national museums, including Scotland’s industrial museums, would focus on supporting significant "national standard" collections. In addition to funding of £440,000 set aside for industrial museums, the Executive will make available further funding of £500,000 per annum over the next two years to continue to support our non-national museums and to enable the launch of the museums’ recognition scheme on which the Scottish Museums Council has consulted on our behalf. Future funding for the Scottish Maritime Museum will be considered in this context.

Police

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Lothian and Borders police officers were on secondment in 2005, and which organisation or post each officer was seconded to.

Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally and is a matter for the Chief Constable of Lothian and Borders police. I understand that the force has invited the member to a meeting to discuss this and other issues.

Sport

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will clarify what the First Minister meant by "a Scottish-level athlete" as opposed to a "world-level" or "UK-level" one, in comments reported by The Scotsman  on 1 August 2002.

Patricia Ferguson: The categorisation of an athlete would largely depend on the sport in question and the entry criteria for any associated competition. A "Scottish-level" athlete may be one who is selected to represent Scotland or restricts their participation in competition to national events. A "UK-level" athlete may be one who is selected to represent the UK or restricts their participation in competition to UK events. A "world-level" athlete is one who competes regularly on the world stage. Some athletes may be the best in their sport or event in Scotland but not be among the best in the UK and the rest of the world.

Sport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many curling rinks there are in Scotland, listed by location and giving the number of sheets in each rink.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it provides to curling in Scotland.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it has provided to curling in Scotland in each year since 1997.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many curling rinks there have been in each year since 1997.

Patricia Ferguson: This information is not held centrally. However, I have asked the Chair of  sportscotland to write to the member with the information that they have available.

Sport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on participation levels in curling.

Patricia Ferguson: In 2004   sportscotland published a research report on curling participation. The research was undertaken in 2003 by MORI, on behalf of  sportscotland, following the success at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. This report can be accessed at:

  http://www.sportscotland.org.uk/ChannelNavigation/Resource+Library/Publications/Curling+Success+and+its+Impact+on+Participation.htm.

  I have arranged for a copy of the report to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39530).

Sport

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will have the delivery plan to be produced following the review of Sport 21 scrutinised by an independent person or body not represented on the review group.

Patricia Ferguson: The delivery plans prepared as part of the review of Sport 21 will be submitted by the Steering Group to Scottish ministers for consideration.

Water Charges

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many charitable organisations which have rented or owned premises since 1999 are liable for full payment of water rates and what criteria are applied to exemptions for such premises.

Rhona Brankin: Scottish Water does not categorise its non-domestic customers by reference to the nature of their business or to their status in the eyes of HM Customs and Revenue. The information sought therefore is not held by either the Scottish Executive or Scottish Water.

  The Regulations which established the water and sewerage charges exemption scheme (the Water and Sewerage Charges (Exemption) (Scotland) Regulations 2002) specify the criteria that Scottish Water must apply in administering the scheme. A copy of the Regulations is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 20440).

Water Charges

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to revise the exemption scheme for water and sewerage services to premises operated by charitable and voluntary organisations to reduce their financial burden.

Rhona Brankin: The water and sewerage charges exemption scheme was established originally for four years with effect from 1 April 2002 to assist those organisations that had previously been in receipt of relief and which were likely to be most affected by its withdrawal. The statutory criteria for qualifying for exemption were set with that objective in mind. The Executive extended the scheme from 2006-10, to allow more time for those organisations to prepare to pay for the services that they consume. The Executive has no plans to revise the scheme.

Water Charges

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider giving those pensioners in full receipt of council tax benefit exemptions from paying for the costs of water and sewerage.

Rhona Brankin: On 1 April 2006, the Scottish Executive introduced a water services charges reduction scheme for vulnerable households. The scheme provides a reduction in charges of up to 25% a year for households with two or more adults, who are in receipt of council tax benefit (CTB), and no other discount. The purpose of the scheme is to introduce a permanent means of assisting low-income households largely occupying lower council tax bands, in receipt of CTB, which had previously received little or no assistance with their water services charges. The Executive has no plans to extend the scope of the scheme.

Water Industry

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that Scottish Water makes provision for the impact of climate change in its investment programme, Quality and Standards III.

Rhona Brankin: On the 28 September 2005, the Scottish Executive issued a Direction to Scottish Water setting out clearly the objectives Scottish Water must meet in the next regulatory period, 2006-10, and the objectives Scottish Water should plan and prepare for in the period 2010-14. It is for Scottish Water (or its contacting partners) to design and build the necessary technical solutions to meet these requirements, taking into account all material factors, including the known impact of climate change.

  The Scottish Executive recently issued guidance to assist Scottish Water in exercising its sustainable development duty under section 51 of the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002. The issue of climate change is covered under Action 6 of this guidance.

  A copy of this guidance is available on the Scottish Executive website www.scotland.gov.uk

Water Industry

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it has made available to Scottish Water to ensure that, in its operations, Scottish Water adapts to the impact of climate change and fulfils the actions outlined in Changing Our Ways: Scotland’s Climate Change Programme.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive will be making available £527 million of borrowing to Scottish Water to deliver its core services and meet ministers’ objectives for the industry in the period 2006-10. This is in line with the Water Industry Commission for Scotland’s final determination of Charges 2006-10. No further breakdown is available.

Water Industry

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what policies it has to ensure that the economic regulators for Scottish Water take into consideration Scottish Water’s duty in respect of sustainability, biodiversity and sustainable flood management when costing Scottish Water’s investment programme, Quality and Standards III.

Rhona Brankin: The Water Industry Commission for Scotland is the sole economic regulator of Scottish Water. The Water Services etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 provides for the commission to perform this function independently of the Executive and under a duty to ensure that Scottish Water has sufficient financial resources to exercise effectively at lowest reasonable overall cost its core functions, including those functions in respect of sustainability, biodiversity and sustainable flood management. In view of these statutory provisions, there is no need for the Executive to establish separate policies in these respects.

Water Industry

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance or principles of sustainable development were used by the Water Industry Commission for Scotland when costing Scottish Water’s investment plan, Quality and Standards III.

Rhona Brankin: The Water Services etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 provides for the Water Industry Commission for Scotland to perform its functions as economic regulator of Scottish Water independently of the Executive. Consequently, it is for the Commission to decide how to satisfy its duty to ensure that Scottish Water has sufficient financial resources to exercise effectively at lowest reasonable overall cost its core functions, including its functions in respect of sustainable development under section 51 of the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002.

Water Industry

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons were for it not designating the Water Industry Commission for Scotland as a responsible authority under section 2 of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003.

Rhona Brankin: In setting its objectives for Scottish Water, the Executive is responsible for taking into account the specific environmental requirements of the Water Framework Directive. As the independent economic regulator of Scottish Water, the Water Industry Commission for Scotland is under a duty to ensure that Scottish Water has sufficient financial resources to exercise effectively at lowest reasonable overall cost its core functions. This includes meeting the objectives set for it by the Executive. Therefore, in circumstances where the functions which need to be caught by designation are carried out by the Executive, it was considered unnecessary for the Commission to be designated as a responsible authority.

Young People

Christine May (Central Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress there has been with the UK bid to host the Worldskills Competition in London in 2011.

Allan Wilson: The Worldskills Competition is the largest skills competition in the world for young people, with 42 member countries participating in over 40 different skill areas, such as joinery, bricklaying, IT and hospitality. The UK submitted its bid on 31 March 2006 to host Worldskills 2011 in London. Sweden (Gothenburg) and Australia (Melbourne) are also bidding for the honour. I will be attending the Worldskills General Assembly in Melbourne when the successful bid is announced on 10 May 2006. If our bid is successful, I plan to host a parliamentary event to inform and engage a broad range of stakeholders.

  Worldskills London 2011 gives Scotland an opportunity to highlight its skills agenda, to showcase its talents on the world stage and to allow young people to see world-class skills in practice. It would also act as an inspirational focus for skills competition activity in the intervening years, with stakeholders (including Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Association of Scotland’s Colleges) working closely with UK Skills to create a Scotland-wide network of skills competitions, providing our young people with an opportunity to prove their excellence at local, regional and national events, leading up to the Worldskills Competition.